Glassware-forming apparatus



June 28, 1949.

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June 28, 1949. I E, BANNER V y 2,474,302 '4 7 GLAsswARE-FORMING APPARATUS y Filed Dec. 6. 1943 4 sheets-'sheet 4 .wise secured to the member 55.

cooperating with a hub 40 on the outside of the chamber. A hand wheel 4I on the lower end of the shaft 38 permits the latter to be turned. A chain and sprocket drive 42 connects the shaft 38 with the nuts on the screws 38 whereby the rotation of the shaft moves the damper 36 vertically.

A readily replaceable refractory disc 43 havingh a central hole therethrough in which a metal bushing 44 is positioned is provided beneath the port |4. A gasket 45 is disposed between the disc and the bottom of the forehearth. The disc is supported on tapered screws 46 threaded in lugs 4l secured to the bottom of the forehearth. As shown in Figure 3, the disc 43 is embraced by metal straps 48 connected by bolts 49. The straps are set into a circumferential groove in the disc. Sleeves 55 on the bolts 49 are engaged by the tapered ends of the screws 46. The disc 43 may thus be forced into rm engagement with the bottom of the forehearth. Y

A blow pipe extends downwardly through a hole in the forehearth cover 20, the distributor I5, the port I4 in the bottom of the forehearth and the bushing 44 in the disc 43. A protective sheathing '5ta of refractory material surrounds that portion of the pipe 5| above the forming chamber 23. The pipe is connected to a suitable source of air under pressure. A bar 52 is provided at one end with means for clamping the pipe 5|. The other end of the bar is threaded to receive 'J a hand wheel 52a havinga threaded bore, disposed in a bearing 52h carried on one of the brackets 22. By turning the wheel 52a the pipe 5| may be adjusted horizontally in respect of the openings in the bottom and top of the forehearth. A ring 53 is secured on the pipe 5| at a level somewhat below the top of the chamber 23. A refractory sleeve -54 surrounding the pipe rests on the ring 53. A bushing 55 surrounds the pipe 5| near its lower end and is supported on a split ring 5G, the two halves of which fit into a circumferential groove in the pipe. The bushing 55 is raised when the halves of the ring 56 are set in place. The latter are securely held in position when the bushing is lowered to the illustrated position.

A refractory mandrel 51 having a ring 58 at the lower end thereof surrounds the greater portion of the pipe 5| within the chamber 23. Spacer and supporting blocks 59 like that shown in detail in Figure 2a are spaced circumferentially of the bushing 55 and serve to support the ring 58 and mandrel 5l thereon. It will be observed that the blocks 59 are tapered at the top adjacent their inner faces and at the bottom adjacent their outer faces. This facilitates the ow of an annular stream of glass downwardly between the ring 58 and Ithe bushing I55 and aids the reunion of the portions of the stream separated by the blocks. Spacer blocks 60, which are like blocks 59 in construction, are disposed between the sleeve 54 and the tube 57.

Spaced ribs 6| are welded to the pipe 5| near the lower end thereof and are also welded to a nut e2 which is threaded on the end of the screw E4. The screw and nut hold in position the cup shaped member 65 which is positioned at the bottom end of the tube 5|. This cup shaped member has an integral bottom plate having air holes 53 thereon to permit air to pass from the lower end of the blow pipe. The upper end of the sleeve E5 engages the lower end of the bushing 55. Radial pins 55 are threaded into or other- The pins 66 support a plurality of nesting, spaced, coaxial cylinders or shells E7 which constitute means for shaping the glass stream descending through and around the mandrel 5l into a continuous cylinder of the desired size. Such means is claimed broadly in my copending application, Serial No. 380,179.

The glass stream descending from the forehearth is restricted by the bushing 44 and the disc 43 but after passing therethrough iiows downwardly in layer form along the outside of the mandrel 5l as well as on the inside thereof. The layer of glass flowing downwardly along the outside of the mandrel has one surface only in contact with the mandrel. This is likewise true of the inner layer of glass. During this iiow of the glass it is tempered, with the result that a better product is obtained. At the lower end of the mandrel the glass strikes the shells 61 which serve to spread or enlarge the stream, which is already in the form of a hollow cylinder, and shape it. The glass flows between and around the shells and the separate streams unite at the lower ends of the shells, i. e. at the ware-forming plane, to form a single wall tube. A continuous length of tube may thus be drawn downwardly from the glass flowing over the shells 61. After the tube has traveled a suicient distance from the forming chamber, it cools and becomes rigid enough to be handled by any convenient receiving and conveying means. Various sizes of tube, of course, may be drawn, depending primarily on the speed of draw and also on the viscosity of the glass and the rate at which the tube cools after leaving the forming chamber. The shells 6T, as stated, are particularly advantageous in forming tubes of larger diameter and of greater wall thickness but they serve also to permit drawing smaller sizes of tubes at a rate greater than that obtainable with tube-forming apparatus previously known.

Figure 4 illustrates a modication of a portion of the structure shown in Figure 2. In Figure 4, the blow pipe 5| is provided with a bushing 55' carried on a split ring 56 in the same manner as the bushing 55. A mandrel 5l rests on the bushing 55 and is provided at its upper end with a spacer disc 61. With this construction, it will be evident that glass flowing downwardly from the forehearth will iiow around the exterior only of the mandrel 51 and will pass downwardly therealong in layer form with one surface only in contact with the mandrel.

A cup shaped closure member 63 is secured to the pipe 5| in the same manner as the cup shaped member 65 and supports the shells 6l' by means of the pins 66 as already explained. This closure member 63' has openings 63a therein to permit air to pass from the lower end of the blow pipe.

Figures 5 and 5a show the application of glassforming means, including a plurality of nesting, coaxial shells, to a mandrel mounted for rotation on an axis inclined to the vertical, in the manner shown in my Patent No. 1,219,709. As shown in the drawings, a blow pipe 10 is journaled in a suitable bearing 1| for rotation about an inclined axis and extends below a glass delivery channel 'l2 and in alignment with the outlet 13. The pipe is provided with a beveled gear 1li whereby it may be driven by any convenient mechanism and with a swivel joint 'I4 connected to a suitable source of air under pressure. A refractory tube 15 is disposed coaxially on the pipe 10 adjacent the lower end thereof and serves as a mandrel to shape into roughly tubular form a stream of glass descending through the outlet 13. The lower end of the tube 15 rests on a collar 16 secured to the end of the pipe 10, the lower end of the tube being of frusto-conical shape. A spacer collar 11 is disposed on the pipe adjacent the upper end of the tube 15 and serves to centralize the tube with respect to the pipe. An internally threaded bushing 18 is secured inside the lower end of the pipe 10. A plug 19 is fitted into the bushing. Pins 80 extending radially from the plug support a plurality of nesting, coaxial shells 8| and 8l' disposed coaxially with the pipe and tube 15, the outer shell extending vertically above the remaining shells in order to provide for the maintenance and proper distribution of glass on the tops 0f the shells. The plug 19 has a hole 82 extending longitudinally therethrough.

The shells 8l serve to shape the glass descending along the tube or mandrel into a cylinder from which a continuous length of tubing may be drawn. By the use `of these shells it is possible to draw tubing having a thicker wall than has been possible heretofore with the known tubedrawing machines. It is also possible to draw tubing either with a thick or a thin wall at speeds considerably in excess of those which have been possible heretofore. The spaced coaxial shells provide for distribution and feeding of large quantities of glass over a relatively wide area at the ware-forming plane at the bottom ends of the shells. Appreciably more glass can be accumulated at the ware-forming plane by using a multiple shell type shaping element than is possible where the regular type of mandrel, such as is shown in my prior Patent No. 1,219,709, is used. Where the shells are used on the lower end of the regular type of mandrel, greater flexibility in regard to rate of production, size and wall thickness is obtainable.

It will be apparent from the foregoing description and explanation that the invention provides glass-forming means of novel construction adapted to receive a downowing stream of glass and convert it into a continuous length of tube. The glass-forming means disclosed herein have advantages over such means as have been known heretofore in respect to simplicity of construction and convenience'of operation.

Although I have illustrated by a preferred embodiment with certain modifications, it will be recognized that changes in the construction or arrangement of parts illustrated may be made without departing from the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In glass-forming apparatus, a blow-pipe extending through means for delivering a downwardly owing stream of molten glass, a member fitting over the lower end of the pipe and supported thereon, pins extending radially from said member, and a plurality of spaced coaxial shells mounted on said pins coaxially of said pipe adapted to receive glass flowing downwardly around said pipe.

2. Apparatus as defined by claim 1 characterized by a nut having ribs extending transversely across the pipe adjacent its lower end, and means securing said member to said nut.

3. In glass-forming apparatus, a. blow-pipe extending through means for delivering a downwardly flowing stream of molten glass, a refractory tube surrounding the lower portion of the pipe and spaced therefrom, means carried on the pipe for supporting the tube at its lower end,

means carried on the pipe for spacing the upper end of the tube therefrom, and a plurality of nested, coaxial shells mounted on the lower end of the pipe adapted to receive glass flowing downwardly on the exterior of said tube.

4. Apparatus as defined by claim 3, characterized by said spacing and supporting means comprising members spaced circumferentially of the pipe adapted to admit downowing glass between the pipe and tube.

5. Apparatus as dened by claim 3 characterized by said spacing means comprising an annular member closing the upper end of the space between the tube and pipe.

6. In glass-forming apparatus, a blow-pipe journaled for rotation in an inclined position a sleeve surrounding the lower end of the pipe and adapted to serve as a shaping mandrel for a stream of molten glass flowing downwardly thereover, a plurality of nested, coaxial shells adjacent the lower end of the pipe and adapted to receive a tubular stream of glass from said sleeve, and means for supporting the shells for rotation with the pipe.

7. Apparatus as dened by claim 6 characterized by a bushing secured to the lower end of said pipe, and pins extending radially therefrom, said shells being mounted on said pins.

8. In glass-forming apparatus, an inclined mandrel mounted for rotation and adapted to receive a descending stream of glass on the exterior thereof, and glass-shaping means including a plurality of nested, coaxial shells mounted at thehlower end of the mandrel coaxially therewit 9. In glass-forming apparatus, an inclined mandrel mounted for rotation and adapted to receive a descending stream of glass on the exterior thereof, and glass-shaping means including a plurality of nested, coaxial shells mounted at the lower end of the mandrel coaxially therewith, the outermost of said shells being longer than other of said shells and extending axially upwardly beyond the upper ends of said other shells.

EDWARD DANNER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 672,281 Morrison Apr. 16, 1901 1,218,598 Danner Mar. 6, 1917 1,219,709 Danner Mar. 20, 1917 1,532,514 Raynes Apr. 7, 1925` 1,574,482 Hirsch Feb. 23, 1926 1,766,638 Howard June 24, 1930 2,310,474 Teichmann Feb. 9, 1943 2,390,925 Danner Dec. 11, 1945 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 38,432 France Mar. 3, 1931 (Addition to No. 693,153)

506,384 'Germany Sept. 3, 1930 543,172 Great Britain Feb. 12, 1942 750,425 France May 29, 1933 

